Search

EP-4718676-A9 - SYSTEM COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE ACCUMULATOR AND A TERMINAL, METHOD FOR OPERATING A TERMINAL WITH AN ACCUMULATOR, ACCUMULATOR AND USE OF AN ACCUMULATOR

EP4718676A9EP 4718676 A9EP4718676 A9EP 4718676A9EP-4718676-A9

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) with at least one accumulator (2), in particular an IoT accumulator. The accumulator (2) comprises at least one control unit (4) and an accumulator data interface (5). The system (1) further comprises an end device (6) with at least one end device control unit (7) and an end device data interface (8). The accumulator (2) and the end device (6) are connected for power transfer. Furthermore, the accumulator data interface (5) and the end device data interface (8) are connected for the transmission of control data, in particular bidirectionally.

Inventors

  • THANNHUBER, MARKUS
  • Szekacs, Endre
  • Fech, Daniel

Assignees

  • Einhell Germany AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250912

Claims (15)

  1. System (1) with at least one accumulator (2), in particular an IoT accumulator, wherein the accumulator (2) comprises at least one control unit (4) and at least one accumulator data interface (5), and with a terminal device (6), wherein the terminal device (6) comprises at least a terminal device control unit (7) and a terminal device data interface (8), and wherein the accumulator (2) and the terminal device (6) are connected for energy transfer and wherein the accumulator data interface (5) and the terminal device data interface (8) are connected for the particularly bidirectional transfer of control data.
  2. System (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that the at least one control unit (4) is an IoT control unit and/or comprises a programming interface (10).
  3. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one control unit (4) of the accumulator is configured to generate control commands for the terminal control unit (7).
  4. System (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that the control commands include commands for specific functions of the terminal device (6).
  5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one control unit (4) of the accumulator (2) and the terminal control unit (7) form a master-slave system form, wherein the control unit (4) is configured as master and the terminal control unit (7) as slave.
  6. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery data interface (5) and/or the terminal device data interface (8) are designed as a wired and/or wireless data interface.
  7. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accumulator (2) comprises a data storage device (11).
  8. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data storage (11), in particular in a database, includes information on possible terminal devices (6).
  9. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accumulator (2) is designed as a power tool accumulator, garden tool accumulator and/or as a power tool accumulator, wherein the terminal device (6) is designed in particular as a cordless drill/driver, cordless impact drill, cordless angle grinder, cordless saw, cordless hammer, cordless lawnmower, cordless trimmer, cordless hedge trimmer, cordless leaf blower, cordless pump, cordless vacuum cleaner, cordless pressure washer, cordless sweeper, e-bike, e-scooter, electric scooter, robotic vacuum cleaner, cooler, fan, surveillance camera, alarm system and/or lighting system.
  10. Method for operating an end device (6) with a battery (2) in a system (1) configured according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by that control data from at least one control unit (4) of the Data from the accumulator (2) is transferred to an end-device control unit (7) of the end device (6) via an accumulator data interface (5) and an end-device data interface (8) and/or data is transferred from the end-device control unit (7) of the end device (6) via the end-device data interface (8) and the accumulator data interface (5) to the control unit (4) of the accumulator (2).
  11. Method according to the previous claim, characterized in that control commands, in particular commands for specific functions of the terminal device (6), are generated for the terminal device control unit (7) by the at least one control unit (4).
  12. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control commands include user-defined operating program data.
  13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminal device (6) and its specific functions are identified by the control unit (4).
  14. Accumulator (2) for a system (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims.
  15. Use of an accumulator (2) for a system (1) and/or a method according to one or more of the preceding claims.

Description

The present invention relates to a system with at least one accumulator, in particular an IoT accumulator. The accumulator comprises at least one control unit and at least one accumulator data interface. The system further comprises an end device with at least one end device control unit and an end device data interface. The accumulator and the end device are connected for power transfer. Furthermore, the accumulator data interface and the end device data interface are connected for the transmission of control data, in particular bidirectionally. Battery-powered systems have been around for a long time. For example, battery-operated power tools are an important part of skilled trades work. Usually, several batteries are used alternately to avoid interruptions to the work. The increased capacities of recent decades allow even larger power tools, such as lawnmowers, to be operated with batteries. Most power tool manufacturers use battery systems with corresponding chargers and batteries whose energy interfaces are designed in a specific way, so that batteries from one manufacturer are generally not compatible with those from another. Therefore, purchasing a battery system significantly contributes to customer loyalty to a power tool manufacturer. It is therefore desirable to equip accumulators with additional functions as a selling point, thereby giving a market advantage to the accumulators themselves, but possibly also to the end devices powered by them. The object of the present invention is therefore to further develop the known system in such a way that the accumulator is enabled to perform functions beyond a mere energy supply. The problem is solved by a system, a method, an accumulator, and/or its use, comprising the features of the independent claims. Advantageous or preferred embodiments are each the subject of a corresponding dependent claim. A system is proposed that includes, for example, at least one battery, in particular an IoT battery. The battery preferably includes at least one control unit. This control unit serves, for example, to monitor and/or control the battery. In particular, the control unit ensures compliance with predefined, safety-relevant operating parameters. Furthermore, the battery can include at least one battery data interface, which, for example, facilitates bidirectional data exchange with end devices and possibly other devices. The system can include an end device, which is powered in particular by the accumulator. For this purpose, the accumulator and the end device are connected, especially for power transfer. The end device preferably includes at least one end device control unit, which, for example, serves to control the end device, and in particular an end device data interface, which, for example, serves to exchange data with the accumulator and possibly other devices. The accumulator data interface and the end device data interface are connected, in particular, for the transmission of control data. The ability to transfer control data between the accumulator and the terminal device allows the accumulator to be equipped with additional functions. This also makes it possible to implement potentially complex systems. Control tasks, for example, can be shifted from the end device to the accumulator. This allows for simpler and more cost-effective design of end devices. A more complex accumulator design can be justified by its use with a large number of different end devices and thus be more readily accepted by users. If the accumulator serves as a central user interface for a variety of end devices, this can simplify the handling of different devices. The accumulator preferably comprises at least one accumulator cell for receiving, storing, and discharging energy. The accumulator cell provides, in particular, the basic function of the accumulator: powering connected devices. The accumulator can have a varying number of accumulator cells depending on its energy capacity. For example, the accumulator may comprise at least two accumulator cells. The accumulator cells are rechargeable, in particular, by a charger connected to the accumulator. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one control unit is an IoT control unit. An IoT control unit is characterized, for example, by communication capabilities with other devices, such as, in particular, other batteries and/or consumer electronics devices. This allows the battery to be integrated into the Internet of Things (IoT), which significantly increases the battery's functionality. The exchange of information with other devices can greatly enhance the user's interaction options with the battery. For example, users can directly influence the battery's control parameters via the IoT control unit. This can include, for instance, setting charging time windows, prioritizing specific consumers, or adjusting performance profiles. Furthermore, it is advantageous if at least one control unit includes a programmi